Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Mizushima Hiro Aiming to be an actor with a masterpiece

Lead actor in Fuji's Mei-chan no Shitsuji, Mizushima Hiro, aims to be an actor with a masterpiece.19th January 2009

It looks like the boom of girls yearning for such a butler to serve them has exploded. He plays the butler that does everything flawlessly, Shibata Rihito, in Fuji TV's drama serial 'Mei-chan no Shitsuji' (Tuesdays at 9). As in the drama 'Room of King' from last autumn by the same television station, he is playing a lead role. Although he says he "feels the same" about playing a role, it is a complete about-turn from his role as a young man doing odd jobs.

"A butler has the image of being the quintessence of manners, with the right posture and always aware of his speech. There's a feeling of control in his voice and tension too. But, this is the first time playing a role that requires me to stand so upright that my shoulders have stiffened a little," he said, smiling wryly.

Being a school setting, there are many characters involved. The location's always bustling. "In 'Room of King', I was surrounded by established older actors, this time, at one go, I feel young again. I was surprised at how everyone quickly got along, I'm enjoying myself."

The drama is set in a super-rich girls school 'Saint Lucia Girls Academy'. The students live in dorms and the school site covers a third the size of Tokyo. The monthly school fees is 100 million yen and an ikemen butler is attached to every student.

Within the academy, Rihito is the most desired butler among the girls. Born into a family of butlers who have long served the Hongo Group, he is devoted to serving Shinonome Mei, who is related by blood to the Hongo Family. Serving her, protecting her from bullying, he supports her as she grows into a splendid lady.

"An ikemen butler attached to every student. The drama's worldview is a little far-out, but I think it will be fun to watch on television. As a drama that shows the growth of the butler and young lady, it not just a comedy and you should be able to enjoy the other parts as well."

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After spending half a year modelling, he made his acting debut in Nippon TV's Gokusen (2005). The road to being an actor was a meandering one.

Originally, his aim was to be a professional soccer player. Studying for 6 years in elementary school in Switzerland, he started playing soccer then. He even participated in the High School Championships at the national level, advancing up to the semi-finals of MF. After entering university, he picked up an injury and had to give up soccer.

"I didn't know what to do." In despair, he resolved to study his only other interest, fashion. "If I go to New York, I don't know what I might discover there." He already had experience living abroad and was not hampered by language, knowing English. To earn enough money to go to America, he started modelling, after being introduced by a senior.

He said that he was bad at getting his photos taken. While trying his best at his work in order to build up his funds, interest in being an actor, in being able to express what's inside, started to stir. "I did not have confidence on being judged just on my appearance. I felt that in that way, you cannot make any impression of a person. I thought as an actor, even if it's just a little, I can express something inside of me to other people."

Up to today, he has not gone to New York. He does harbour feelings of going, but at the moment, work is his priority. "I want to appear in a good production. The role does not matter. I think the production is important. If people say 'Mizushima Hiro, he was in that production', then I think I would have become an actor with a masterpiece.

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☆ 3 Questions

1)When you are happy.When people around me are smiling. If I have done something to make them smile, that would make me happy.

2)What you would be if you were not an actor.I think I would have been a designer. I had even thought of going abroad to study it, that's how much it interested me.

3)The one thing you would bring to a deserted island.Dokodemo (Anywhere) Door that Doraemon can produce. In that way, I can go anywhere.

Idol Worship

Hiroki Narimiya

Mizobata Junpei

Yamamoto Yusuke

Mizushima Hiro

Shirota Yuu

Horikita Maki

Inoue Mao

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